Faculty
Rui Zhang
Associate Professor
John E. and Joretta A. Chance Endowed Professorship in Geophysics
Dr. Rui Zhang received his PhD in Geophysics from University of Houston in 2010. After that,
Dr. Zhang had worked as postdoc fellow at University of Texas at Austin and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. From 2014, Dr. Zhang served as assistant professor in School of Geosciences and Department of Physics at University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Email: [email protected]
Office Phone: 337-482-6920
Address: 611 McKinley Street
Hamilton Hall #313
P.O. Box 44650
Lafayette, LA 70504
Associate Professor
John E. and Joretta A. Chance Endowed Professorship in Geophysics
Dr. Rui Zhang received his PhD in Geophysics from University of Houston in 2010. After that,
Dr. Zhang had worked as postdoc fellow at University of Texas at Austin and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. From 2014, Dr. Zhang served as assistant professor in School of Geosciences and Department of Physics at University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Email: [email protected]
Office Phone: 337-482-6920
Address: 611 McKinley Street
Hamilton Hall #313
P.O. Box 44650
Lafayette, LA 70504
Students
S M Shamsul Hoque
S M Shamsul Hoque is a PhD student in Earth and Energy Sciences at University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He obtained his B.Sc. in Petroleum and Mining Engineering from Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh. He is currently working as a research assistant for Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Laboratory (TMSL) project. His PhD project is to develop a machine learning technique to estimate the geomechanical properties of the unconventional reservoir, such as Tuscaloosa Marine Shale.
S M Shamsul Hoque is a PhD student in Earth and Energy Sciences at University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He obtained his B.Sc. in Petroleum and Mining Engineering from Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh. He is currently working as a research assistant for Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Laboratory (TMSL) project. His PhD project is to develop a machine learning technique to estimate the geomechanical properties of the unconventional reservoir, such as Tuscaloosa Marine Shale.
Silas Adeoluwa Samuel
Silas Adeoluwa Samuel obtained his B.Sc. in Geology and Mining at the University of Jos, Nigeria in 2016. He is a current M.S. in Geology student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, USA. Under the auspices of Dr Zhang, his thesis involves investigating the rock physics of the Duperow Formation, from the Kevin Dome in north-central Montana, USA, as a potential site for Geologic Carbon Sequestration. Seismic and well log data interpretation techniques would be explored for this research.
Silas Adeoluwa Samuel obtained his B.Sc. in Geology and Mining at the University of Jos, Nigeria in 2016. He is a current M.S. in Geology student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, USA. Under the auspices of Dr Zhang, his thesis involves investigating the rock physics of the Duperow Formation, from the Kevin Dome in north-central Montana, USA, as a potential site for Geologic Carbon Sequestration. Seismic and well log data interpretation techniques would be explored for this research.
Yu Guo
I received my Bachelor of Engineering degree in Prospecting Technology and Engineering (Exploration Geophysics) from China University of Petroleum, Beijing in June 2017. And my graduation project topic was on 'Sparse Bayesian Learning Based Signal Enhancement'. Currently, I start doing my Master of Science at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with Dr. Rui Zhang as my thesis advisor
I received my Bachelor of Engineering degree in Prospecting Technology and Engineering (Exploration Geophysics) from China University of Petroleum, Beijing in June 2017. And my graduation project topic was on 'Sparse Bayesian Learning Based Signal Enhancement'. Currently, I start doing my Master of Science at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with Dr. Rui Zhang as my thesis advisor
Allison Scates
Allison Scates received her Bachelors of Science in Geology with a minor in mathematics from Centenary College of Louisiana in spring 2017. Fall of 2017 she began her master’s degree at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Working under thesis advisor Rui Zhang, she will be using shallow seismic and processing techniques to examine whether faults in the Golden Meadow fault zone, Louisiana appear at the surface. Using information from the research performed by Amanda Johnston, Allison’s projects will draw further conclusions to the cause of land loss in southern Louisiana and its relationship to the fault zone, geomorphology, and subsurface structures.
Allison Scates received her Bachelors of Science in Geology with a minor in mathematics from Centenary College of Louisiana in spring 2017. Fall of 2017 she began her master’s degree at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Working under thesis advisor Rui Zhang, she will be using shallow seismic and processing techniques to examine whether faults in the Golden Meadow fault zone, Louisiana appear at the surface. Using information from the research performed by Amanda Johnston, Allison’s projects will draw further conclusions to the cause of land loss in southern Louisiana and its relationship to the fault zone, geomorphology, and subsurface structures.
Alumni
Ming Ma
Ming received the B.S. degree in exploration geophysics from the Ocean University of China in 2013. After graduation, he pursued the Ph.D. degree in the China University of Petroleum-Beijing. His research interests include seismic wavelet estimation, poststack seismic inversion and seismic attenuation compensation. He is a member of SEG and a reviewer of journal Geophysics.
Ming received the B.S. degree in exploration geophysics from the Ocean University of China in 2013. After graduation, he pursued the Ph.D. degree in the China University of Petroleum-Beijing. His research interests include seismic wavelet estimation, poststack seismic inversion and seismic attenuation compensation. He is a member of SEG and a reviewer of journal Geophysics.
Amanda Johnston, MS, Spring 2019
Amanda Johnston received her Bachelors of Science in Geology at Stephen F. Austin State University in 2015. Later in 2015, she started working towards her Masters of Science at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette investigating the relationship between tectonics and land loss near Golden Meadow, Louisiana by utilizing 3D seismic and well log data. Currently, she is an active Research Assistant for Dr. Rui Zhang to further her research investigating the relationship between faulting, salt tectonics and land loss. Preliminary data indicates that there is a relationship between geomorphology and subsurface structures, suggesting that active tectonics exert a control on land loss in certain areas in southern Louisiana.
Amanda Johnston received her Bachelors of Science in Geology at Stephen F. Austin State University in 2015. Later in 2015, she started working towards her Masters of Science at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette investigating the relationship between tectonics and land loss near Golden Meadow, Louisiana by utilizing 3D seismic and well log data. Currently, she is an active Research Assistant for Dr. Rui Zhang to further her research investigating the relationship between faulting, salt tectonics and land loss. Preliminary data indicates that there is a relationship between geomorphology and subsurface structures, suggesting that active tectonics exert a control on land loss in certain areas in southern Louisiana.
Mark Mlella, MS, Summer 2019
Mark Mlella is a current graduate student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, he received his Bachelor’s of Science in Geology from Trinity University in 2016. Mark’s thesis topic involves the estimation of total organic carbon from well logs and seismic data. On his free time, Mark enjoys playing soccer, reading books, and exploring the outdoors.
Mark Mlella is a current graduate student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, he received his Bachelor’s of Science in Geology from Trinity University in 2016. Mark’s thesis topic involves the estimation of total organic carbon from well logs and seismic data. On his free time, Mark enjoys playing soccer, reading books, and exploring the outdoors.
Zachary Ghalayini, MS, Summer 2019
My research is an interdisciplinary blend of Geology, Geophysics Mathematics and Economics. I am most interested in how we can gather seismic data in an efficient matter to image mature oil fields with the aim of identifying bypassed pay using a method much cheaper than the standard technique of high-cost explosives. To test this feasibility, I took part in a seismic acquisition team tasked with laying out and shooting a 1km long 2D line. We collected this two-dimensional reflection seismic data along the dip of the Tullos-Urania Oilfield in LaSalle Parish LA. The economic feasibility of such a survey for use in hydrocarbon exploration in the future required through processing and imaging of this data.
My research is an interdisciplinary blend of Geology, Geophysics Mathematics and Economics. I am most interested in how we can gather seismic data in an efficient matter to image mature oil fields with the aim of identifying bypassed pay using a method much cheaper than the standard technique of high-cost explosives. To test this feasibility, I took part in a seismic acquisition team tasked with laying out and shooting a 1km long 2D line. We collected this two-dimensional reflection seismic data along the dip of the Tullos-Urania Oilfield in LaSalle Parish LA. The economic feasibility of such a survey for use in hydrocarbon exploration in the future required through processing and imaging of this data.
Jude Alekhue, MS, Summer 2018
Jude is a Graduate student of Geology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Prior to joining ULL, Jude attended the Federal University of technology Akure in Nigeria, where he obtained a B.Tech degree in Applied geophysics. His thesis topic is on ‘The Use of Seismic Attributes, AVO Analysis to Investigate the Miocene Moki Formation within the Parahaki 3D Survey; Taranaki Basin, Offshore New Zealand’
Jude is a Graduate student of Geology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Prior to joining ULL, Jude attended the Federal University of technology Akure in Nigeria, where he obtained a B.Tech degree in Applied geophysics. His thesis topic is on ‘The Use of Seismic Attributes, AVO Analysis to Investigate the Miocene Moki Formation within the Parahaki 3D Survey; Taranaki Basin, Offshore New Zealand’
Joseph Morris, MS, Summer 2018
Daniel Locci, MS, Spring 2018
I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Geophysics with a minor in mathematics from University of Houston in May 2014. After graduation, I started working at Lumina Geophysical in Houston, Texas. I worked for two years on several projects providing geophysical solutions for the Oil and Gas industry using advanced techniques on seismic analysis and well logs to increase the feasibility of hydrocarbon and CO2 prospects. Currently, I am doing my Master of Science at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with Dr. Rui Zhang as my thesis advisor, and I am Teaching Assistant of his seismic interpretation class. My primary research interest lies in quantitative seismic analysis. I have focused my thesis research work on a new method of spectral decomposition that we named the Multi-Scale Boxcar Transform. We are working in demonstrating the value of this new method using a Permian basin seismic dataset. Specifically, on the Pennsylvanian and Lower Permian Horseshoe Atoll Carbonate play to determine the reservoirs layered heterogeneity.
Mr. Locci is pursuing a PhD in LSU.
I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Geophysics with a minor in mathematics from University of Houston in May 2014. After graduation, I started working at Lumina Geophysical in Houston, Texas. I worked for two years on several projects providing geophysical solutions for the Oil and Gas industry using advanced techniques on seismic analysis and well logs to increase the feasibility of hydrocarbon and CO2 prospects. Currently, I am doing my Master of Science at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with Dr. Rui Zhang as my thesis advisor, and I am Teaching Assistant of his seismic interpretation class. My primary research interest lies in quantitative seismic analysis. I have focused my thesis research work on a new method of spectral decomposition that we named the Multi-Scale Boxcar Transform. We are working in demonstrating the value of this new method using a Permian basin seismic dataset. Specifically, on the Pennsylvanian and Lower Permian Horseshoe Atoll Carbonate play to determine the reservoirs layered heterogeneity.
Mr. Locci is pursuing a PhD in LSU.
Taylor Runyan, MS, Spring 2017
Ms. Taylor Runyan is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of New Orleans
Ms. Taylor Runyan is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of New Orleans
Jade P. Bujard, MS, Fall 2016
Mr. Jade Bujard is currently working at Shell.
Mr. Jade Bujard is currently working at Shell.
Jared M. Angelo, MS, Summer 2016